


The Happiest Place on Earth

by nobleanchor



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, dogs!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-27
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-01-10 05:49:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1155858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobleanchor/pseuds/nobleanchor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As far as romantic circumstances go, the conditions under which they met did not rank very high.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As far as romantic circumstances go, the conditions under which they met did not rank very high.

"I'm so sorry," she blushed as she struggled in vain to pull her over-excited mutt off of his large golden retriever. "She's…she's just a puppy and, well, she's picking up on some new… _behaviors_ here."

Arthur laughed, completely unfazed by the encounter. "Can't do much harm, I suppose."

Caught off guard by his response, she choked out a laugh and smiled at him.

"I'm Gwen." She might have held out her hand if she wasn't trying to restrain her dog from mounting his once more.

"Arthur," he nodded to her. "How old is she?" he indicated the shaggy little creature currently squirming in her grasp.

"Six months. This is just her third time here."

"Ah," he smiled knowingly. "She'll have plenty more to learn then. Honestly, I would be a little more worried about keeping _them_ off of her." He raised his eyebrows and Gwen followed his gaze toward a muddle of hounds playing roughly a few yards away, one of which was rather conspicuously still _intact_.

Gwen stretched the corner of her lips in a _yikes_ face, and Arthur chuckled.

"She'll be fine," he assured her. "Are you planning to get her fixed?"

"Yeah, I'm going to make the appointment soon, I've just got to fit it in with work and all."

Arthur nodded silently, crossing his arms as he watched the animals playing together. His dog was currently rolling on its back in a large plastic tub, and water sloshed messily over the side.

"He's having a good time," Gwen observed with amusement.

An old woman with a fragile looking white dog in her lap gave a disapproving look as a small splash of moisture landed on her sandal-clad foot.

Arthur rolled his eyes, but still smiled. "Can't keep him away from the water. He loves it."

"I can see that," she laughed as the dog stood up and started digging vigorously inside the tub, and the old woman glared deliberately at Arthur before making a big show of getting up and moving away.

He sighed, leaning toward her a bit. "I'll tell you what, you can't be friends with everyone here," he said under his breath.

Gwen giggled as she stood closer to him in camaraderie, watching the old woman as she made her way over to group of owners to direct their attention toward her and Arthur.

"It's a bloody dog park, what do they expect?" Gwen whispered.

"They think it's Greenside; that's what they expect."

Gwen frowned, unsure of what he meant. "Greenside?"

"Greenside Park?" he tried. Seeing no recognition in her face, he continued. "It's a little place on the east side of town where all the elderly people go. Very well manicured, small. Pretty much everyone there has got the same dog," he gestured to the small white dog the old woman was holding. "They don't like having 'big' dogs there; it's frowned upon. Although their concept of 'big' also seems to include black dogs, shaggy dogs, unneutered dogs, and dogs that enjoy any kind of fetching, jumping, or rough playing activity."

"Aha," she said, making a mental note to avoid the place. "Sounds awful."

"If you can imagine, Atticus and I got kicked out within 5 minutes."

"And shame on you for not realizing you'd interrupted the bridge club rendezvous," she replied sarcastically.

He snorted. "Quite right."

"How old is…Atticus?"

"He's almost a year and a half. Old enough to be blacklisted by Briarworth's most distinguished citizens, apparently." Gwen traced his line of sight back to the cluster of senior citizens that were now quite obviously banded together, shooting glares conspicuously in their direction.

"Is it always this clique-y?" she wondered out loud.

"Yep, you can't really avoid it at these places. Come here often enough and you see the same people. Someone's dog growls and suddenly you've rubbed them the wrong way on a deeply personal level."

"And here I thought it was the happiest place on Earth," she mused.

"It is," Arthur said seriously, his wistful smile returning as he watched the dogs at play, tumbling over each other and making dizzying circuits of the park. "It's just the people who bring the politics."

Gwen nodded in agreement.

"Well, someone seems quite determined," he said after a while, and Gwen's eyes sought out her scruffy little companion, who was currently defecating in front of the group of disgruntled elderly owners.

"Oh, shit," she sighed, grabbing her waste bag to make her way over to the offending site.

"Gwen," she heard Arthur call after her, and she turned back to see him attaching a leather lead to his (now heavily soiled) dog's collar. "Welcome to the club," he grinned.

She cracked a small smile in response and watched as he turned to leave, her eyes lingering on his retreating form perhaps a bit longer than necessary.

Squaring her shoulders and lifting her head proudly, she turned back to her task and the slew of unfriendly onlookers.


	2. Chapter 2

The second time they met, Gwen was a notably more seasoned patron of the dog park.

"Gwen, right?" she heard his voice before she saw him.

"Arthur! Haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah, we've been going to the beach lately but I ran out of time today. I trust you've been getting on alright?"

"Not too bad. A scuffle here and there, but no major incidents thankfully. Where do you go? To the beach, that is?"

"It's about a 35 minute drive from here, not far from Blackthorn. Thought I'd treat him one day and then we just kept going back, it's so peaceful."

Gwen nodded, watching as Sable recognized Atticus and began to prance around him in excitement. The latter stood patiently as she sniffed and jumped at him, then sprinted so she could chase him, occasionally nipping at his haunches.

Arthur snorted, and Gwen looked at him wondering what he found so amusing.

"She keeps him in line, doesn't she?"

"I guess so," she smiled as she watched them play.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, wordlessly agreeing to settle down on one of the nearby benches.

"Hey Arthur," a friendly older gentleman called as he entered the park with his bulldog.

"Morning Lou. How's Sarah doing?" Arthur greeted him.

"Better, we think. Should be back on her feet soon."

"Glad to hear it," he smiled after the man genuinely.

Gwen glanced over at the blond man curiously.

Sensing her eyes on his face, Arthur scooted closer to her. "His wife's in hospital. Just had a stroke. Poor woman, they've been through a lot."

"Oh." Gwen said sadly.

Arthur glanced sidelong at her, then smiled. "Hey, you know what? I'm thinking about taking Atty to the beach again on Tuesday, what do you say?"

"You want us to come too?" she clarified.

"Sure, why not?" he shrugged. "They get along well, and I bet Sable hasn't been there yet, has she?"

Gwen chuckled. "No, hadn't got around to it yet."

"She'll love it. It's always a pleasure to see a dog's first experience at the beach."

Gwen stared at him, caught in his infectious smile.

"Yeah, okay," she finally agreed. "Oh, shit, but I've actually got to work that day."

"Wednesday then?"

She mulled it over for a moment. "Yeah, I can do that. You're free?"

"I can reschedule an appointment or two."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. I'd rather be there anyway."

"Okay." Her smile stretched.

"Can I have your mobile? Er, you know, so we can figure out where to meet up?"

"Sure," she turned her face to hide the blush as she dug in her bag. His hand brushed hers as she passed it to him, and she withdrew her hand quickly, slipping it between her thigh and the bench as she tried to ignore the tingling sensation that his touch had kindled.

She watched as Arthur entered his contact information - "Arthur & Atticus" - and sent a nonsensical text to himself. "Hope that's alright," he looked up at her.

"Unlimited," she smiled. Up close, his eyes were the truest blue she'd ever seen.

_And what a silly thought that was._

"Right," he said, his eyes darting to her lips fleetingly.

A gentle but abrupt thud drew Gwen's attention to her lap where a sodden tennis ball rested, caked in dirt and slobber. A strange dog had appeared in front of her, its tongue lolling as it panted, waiting patiently for Gwen to do something.

"Leave the lady alone, Comet!" came a distant call from a woman Gwen presumed to be the owner, on the other side of the park. The dog's ears perked as it recognized its master's voice and, with one more hesitant glance at Gwen's lap, it turned and loped off across the park.

Arthur chuckled beside her as she stood up to let the ball fall from her lap, brushing her hands over her shorts to remove the residual dirt.

Gwen cleared her throat. "Ah, I should be going actually. Talk to you later?"

Arthur sat back. "Yeah, talk to you soon."

Gwen self-consciously wrangled Sable back onto her lead, and after giving a quick pat to Atticus and a small wave in Arthur's direction, she headed out of the gate, taking a deep, measured breath to calm the butterflies in her stomach.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sorry," he greeted her through the window of his modest economy hatchback as he bumped the curb. "I think I may have driven past it a couple times. My GPS is rubbish."

Atticus dominated the backseat, though he was flush against the driver's side trying to wedge his head into the narrow opening between Arthur's headrest and the window.

"No problem. Hope you like coffee." Gwen smiled, juggling a tote bag over her arm, Sable's lead around her wrist, and a cup of coffee in each hand. "Hi, sweetheart!" she addressed the ungainly but adorable retriever.

"Thanks," Arthur relieved her of one of the cups. Sable hopped happily in the back without any prompting and Gwen settled into the passenger seat.

"It's usually just Atty and me, but you two are small so I figured we could squeeze. But if you're uncomfortable–"

"No, no! This is perfect," she buckled herself in, and Arthur pulled away from the curb.

"Thought we could stop by this little bakery on the route. They've got an amazing assortment and they'll even let you walk through their gardens. If you're hungry, that is..."

"That sounds wonderful. I'm not quite hungry yet but I'm sure I will be by the time we get there."

The ride passed in a pleasant rotation of light conversation and comfortable silence, both enjoying the scenery as the landscape changed before them.

Gwen learned that Arthur worked at his father's financial consulting firm.

"And before you say anything–"

"I didn't!" She laughed nervously.

"Well, before you _think_ anything then, my relationship with him is...let's just say I'm not interested in trying to impress him. Quite the opposite, actually, hence the junker and this lovable guy," he gestured to Atticus in the back seat.

"Ah, I see. So otherwise you'd be–"

"Probably driving the BMW 3 series that's been collecting dust in his garage since I graduated and living in a penthouse with some rare Egyptian hairless cat."

She giggled. "You brat!"

Arthur dropped his jaw, affecting indignation, but he could tell she was teasing.

"No, I get it," she breathed. "You want to make your own way. But you still work with him?"

"Yeah, mostly because I wasn't sure what else I wanted to do, and the job was waiting for me. I did insist that he let me work my way up, though I'm fairly sure no one has ever been promoted so efficiently," he winced. "Before I knew it I'd invested a few years in the job and now it's sort of my thing. I...don't actually hate it, which is more than a lot of people can say for their jobs, I think."

Gwen nodded in agreement.

"And you? I bet you do something really interesting. You're like a beekeeper or an archaeologist or something, aren't you?"

"Hardly. What gives you that impression?"

"I don't know, you're just–you seem different, is all."

Gwen blushed, fixing her eyes on her lap. "Well I'm afraid to disappoint you, but I'm a, um, parking enforcement officer."

" _A parking...?_ Wait, you're a–"

"Meter Maid, yes." She ventured a daring glance to assess his reaction.

He shook his head with an impressed grin. "How do you even...how did you get that job?"

"I don't know, I guess I just kind of fell into it. I found this ad that offered training and exam prep and I figured, why not? A bit like your job, except it wasn't lined up for me; it just happened to be one of the only decently paying jobs available at the time."

"How is it, handing out the tickets?" He wasn't being facetious; he sounded genuinely curious.

"Boring, for the most part. It sucks knowing I might be ruining someone's day, but all they have to do is obey the signs. I guess I _sort of_ enjoy it when I see someone who's parked like an idiot. You know, justice will out."

"Yeah, you're like the universe's way of dispersing punishment for bad karma," he chuckled. "The fines are pretty ridiculous these days, though. Have you ever busted a meter fairy? Or seen one, for that matter?"

"Oh, all the time! See them, that is. I don't get them into trouble. That's the one thing I'm lax about, I suppose. I don't see the harm in it, and for every person I have to write a ticket for, someone else's day could be made by the kindness of a stranger. Actually, if I'm being honest, I've done it myself a few times. Always off duty, mind you," she gave him a mock stern face.

"You've probably saved me a couple times, then."

"With _your_ parking skills? Likely not."

"Wow, easy on the compliments, Guinevere. Wouldn't want to let it go to my head."

"Sorry," she giggled. "It's just I've got a brother so I am sort of wired to always try to get the last jab in."

"Right," he smiled, his expression tightening a little.

They lapsed into silence until Arthur slowed the car and pulled into an unpaved parking lot. "This is it."

It was a charming stone building, but more importantly Gwen could smell an enticing combination of yeast and herbs that made her mouth water.

Her stomach growled and Arthur looked at her with a surprised laugh. "Guess you're hungry, then?"

"Guess so," she joined his laughter. "It smells amazing, I can't wait to see what they've got."

It would have been simpler to see what they _didn't_ have. The bakery had been deceptively small from the outside, and although the inside was not very spacious between the entrance and the counter, Gwen could see a massive wooden table dominated the room behind the counter, piled high with breads and pastries. Her eyes darted around as she considered the overwhelming choices, but Arthur didn't hesitate to order a savory flatbread with goat cheese and green onions, a sweet bread with pear, figs, and candied ginger, and two cinnamon buns.

"Wow, that's a serious order."

"We don't have to finish it. You've just gotta try it; it's amazing. They bake almost 900 loaves of bread here every day."

"Oh my god, do they really sell that much?"

Arthur shrugged and indicated the somewhat crowded shop. "They must, somehow."

They took their order to a bench outside the bakery, sharing pieces as they watched cars pass by and customers file in and out of the small shop.

"Do you think they're okay?" Gwen nodded toward the car where their dogs waited patiently, heads poked out of the window facing away from them.

"Atticus is used to it. I try to eat everything while I'm here because if I bring it back with me, half of the time he gets ahold of it. But I've got you here," he swayed, bumping against her side. "So if we don't finish it'll be your job to keep it safe."

She smiled. "I think I can manage that."

They sat a while longer before Arthur suggested a quick stroll through the garden. She couldn't see much of the fenced off area, but when they walked under the archway she wasn't prepared for what she saw.

It seemed every fruit, vegetable, and herb was available that anyone might need.

"They use all this stuff in their bakery?"

"Yep, fresh from the garden. That's why it's so good."

"This is beautiful," Gwen restrained herself from plucking a raspberry from the bushes, and marveled at the cheerful collection of flowers that lined the fence. There was a whimsical tunnel covered in ivy that they could walk through, and not for the first time she lamented never planting her own garden.

"It must take a lot of work to keep up," she observed.

"Yeah, you see people out here most days. Lots of work, I'm sure, but it's worth it."

Gwen nodded in agreement, and they wandered in silence for a spell.

"Well, shall we be on our way? I'm sure they're anxious. Sable doesn't even know what she's in for."

"I know, I can't wait to see how she reacts."

As Arthur predicted, Gwen spent the remainder of the ride pushing inquisitive noses away from the paper sack in her lap.

When they finally pulled up to the sandy lot of the beach, Gwen was speechless.

It was an uncommonly gorgeous day; the sun shimmered over the water and glanced off sand dunes peppered with grass that swayed in the coastal breeze. Most surprisingly, there was not a soul in sight.

"I can't believe–there's no one here?" She turned to Arthur, and he was smiling.

"I know, it's like no one knows about this place. I've only ever seen one or two other people here at a time. Then again, I do come here mostly on weekdays. Looks like it's just us for now."

The walk to the shoreline was not short, and the dogs were preoccupied by the possibilities of sand. Sable stepped cautiously, sniffing around and burying her snout to see if it was edible. After a few minutes she seemed to accept it, and the two dogs flounced around together, kicking it back and forth and digging holes as their owners looked on.

"It'll take me days to wash the sand out of her coat," Gwen shook her head.

"Another benefit to driving that thing is not having to worry about how messy he gets."

"Do you have to brush him?"

Arthur nodded, rolling his eyes. "Every day. He's quite the diva."

Gwen considered Arthur's own effortlessly tousled golden locks, glinting nearly white in the sun, and bit back the obvious retort.

The dogs sprinted off toward the shoreline and Arthur and Gwen followed. Dry sand made it slow going, and Gwen envied her four-legged companion's agility.

She struggled to match Arthur's longer strides before giving in and removing her sandals, letting them dangle from one hand along with Sable's lead. She darted after Arthur, faster now, and passed him just to see what he would do.

Predictably, he took the bait, chasing after her. She giggled as she ran, enjoying the sea breeze caressing her skin and dancing through her hair. She didn't need to look behind her; she could feel Arthur close on her tail.

He nearly knocked her over when she stopped abruptly at the shore. His hands came to her waist to hold her steady and she instinctively grabbed at his arm to regain her balance.

"Whoa, sorry," he laughed as she looked up at him, brushing the hair out of her eyes. He was smiling down at her and she couldn't help the daft grin spreading on her own lips.

A distressed bark drew their attention to Sable, confused by her surroundings. Gentle waves lapped at her paws and she plodded through them tentatively, distrusting.

"Oh!" Gwen squeaked, trying not to laugh as her poor little unsuspecting mutt got doused by a stronger wave. Sable gave a yelp and darted away as if she'd been bit, whipping around and engaging the tide in a game of chicken.

"See, she's getting used to it. Just wait, she's not gonna want to leave." Arthur chuckled next to her, and Gwen realized that they hadn't removed their hands from one another. She pretended not to notice how the contact seared through her hoodie and made her pulse come quick.

She swallowed. "I think you're right. What am I gonna do now? She's going to want to come here every day!"

"Maybe not _every_ day, but it is tempting." Was she imagining it, or had his grip tightened a tiny bit with that last word? She banished the thought as a traitorous flare of heat reached her cheeks.

"Mum! Hurry up!" They turned toward the distant cry to discover a small family making their way onto the beach. The movement seemed to have alerted Arthur to their position and he slowly moved his hands away from her, strong fingers slipping down her hips as he drew them away.

"Well, I guess we're not the _only_ ones who know about this place."

Gwen laughed, tucking a curl behind her ear and redirecting her attention to Atticus and Sable, soaking wet and wrestling in the sand.

"This was a brilliant idea. Thanks for inviting me. _Us_ , I mean. Thanks for inviting us."

"I was happy to, and anyway it's much more fun this way. And they make a good match, don't they?"

_Perfect_ , she thought.

* * *

For the entire ride back Gwen was distracted by her thoughts, and though her heart pounded as she debated if she was brave enough, she finally worked up the courage.

"Thanks–thanks again for inviting us. Um, do you want to er, come up and dry your clothes before you...?" her eyes dropped to the large paw-print sized wet splotches on his chest.

Arthur looked a little surprised. "Oh, um...I actually have an appointment in an hour so I was just gonna run home and–"

"Oh, yeah, no, don't worry about it," Gwen spluttered hastily, embarrassed. She trembled as she gathered up her things and scrabbled at the door handle, feeling like she needed to remove herself from the situation as quickly as possible. It proved challenging when she found herself tangled up.

"Gwen, hey, it's your seatbelt. Here," Arthur's knuckles grazed her side as he leaned to unbuckle it for her, and it did little to calm her nerves.

"Thanks," she said, avoiding eye contact and pulling herself up out of the car. He helped her pull the seat forward so she could retrieve Sable, and then Gwen gave him an awkward wave and started to turn away.

"Wait! Gwen!"

She came to stand awkwardly by the car, waiting and dreading.

"I really would have–it's just I had to push the appointment back already and–"

"Don't worry about it," she gave him what she hoped was a convincing smile. "Next time, hey? I'll see you later. Bye Atticus!"

If she previously had any illusions that this was some kind of date, then they were good and shattered now. She sighed and reminded herself that Arthur would make a good friend, after all, and she should count herself lucky.

Only she didn't feel lucky.

But that night, after a dauntless attempt at bathing Sable, Gwen's phone gave a hopeful chirp.

_Had a great time today. Let's do it again soon?_

She smiled giddily.

_Deal :)_


	4. Chapter 4

"Thanks again for doing this, Gwen. I really appreciate it."

"No, not at all, I'm happy to do it."

"Nonetheless, I wouldn't have bugged you unless I really needed it. I shouldn't be out too late. Make yourself at home, and shoot me a text if you have any problems."

Gwen smiled as she leaned against the door frame to see him off. "I'm sure we'll be fine. Have a good—"

"Arthur?" A lanky, dark-haired man appeared in the corridor behind him.

"I'm coming!" Arthur protested. "Just need to take care of a few things."

"I spent all this time talking you up to her and now you're running late and she's—" The man paused as he caught sight of her. "Oh, hello. I'm Merlin," he waved his hand at her.

"Gwen," she smiled politely.

"Right," he said slowly, almost to himself, eyes lingering on her face before darting to Arthur's.

Gwen cocked her head, wondering what silent communication was occurring between the two men as Arthur seemed to nod his head minutely.

"Well, um, we should go then. Nice to meet you, Gwen," Merlin smiled.

"You, too."

"Thanks again, Gwen. Won't be late, I promise!" Arthur flashed her one more appreciative smile before leaving.

Gwen closed the door behind the two men and leaned against it a moment, wondering what to make of the encounter.

"Ow!" The sharp cry echoed from the corridor and gave her a start, until she heard an irritated " _What was that for?_ " in the same voice. Merlin.

They were a curious pair, but Gwen resolved not to dwell on whatever Arthur was doing tonight, or whoever ' _she_ ' was that was waiting impatiently for him. She might have wished for more time alone with him, but she couldn't refuse him a favor.

Not when he gave her that smile...

"Just you and me, Atticus." He wagged his tail and panted at her dopily, and she ruffled the fur on his head. "Come on," she whispered so as not to disturb Sable, who was passed out on the carpet by the fireplace. "You can sit on the sofa with me and I won't even tell your Daddy."

A pat on the cushion next to her was all the invitation he needed, and he jumped up to nestle beside her, his heavy head coming to rest in her lap. She stroked his soft ears absently as she channel surfed.

Gwen awoke some time later when she felt a weight shifting from her lap and she blinked her eyes open slowly to find a man standing over her with a blanket stretched between his arm span.

When he realized she was awake, Arthur stooped to sit on the coffee table in front of her, knees bumping the edge of the cushion she was resting on.

"Gwen, I'm _so_ sorry. I didn't mean to be out this late. Did you get my messages?"

"Hmm? Your...?" Gwen shook off the fog of her slumber to remember where she was, turning to look at her mobile resting on the end table. Five messages from Arthur. "Oh."

The room was dimly lit, only a light from the kitchen behind her and the flashing of the television illuminating Arthur's figure.

"Oh! Yes, it's late, isn't it?" She sat up suddenly and then squeezed her eyes shut as she got a head rush.

"Whoa, whoa," came Arthur's voice, soft but close, and she felt the gentle pressure of his hand cradling the side of her head. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said automatically, blinking her eyes open to find Arthur's startling blue irises level with hers, blonde fringe sweeping over his forehead. She had the sudden urge to brush it back from where it fell, but he was examining her for something.

She shook her head. "Really, I'm fine, just a little headache. How was your date?"

As soon as the question popped out, she wished she hadn't asked. Apart from morbid curiosity, of course. But she couldn't exactly retract it.

Arthur looked a little stunned. "My... Oh, yeah, good," he answered distractedly. He cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly in the small space between the couch and the coffee table to stand up. "Can I get you something? Tea?"

"No, that's alright, I should be going. Atty was great."

"Wait," he gestured for her to sit back down. "You can stay here. Really, I insist. It's not as comfortable as your bed, I'm sure—er, that is, it's just a sofa but," he scratched at the back of his head. "Here, I've got some blankets and I'll bring you an extra pillow."

Gwen hesitated, not sure if she was comfortable staying but equally dreading the prospect of getting herself home after midnight.

Arthur's look said _please don't bother arguing, you're staying,_ and Gwen let her shoulders sag in defeat. She supposed it was the most sensible thing to do. Or maybe the least? Was it possible to confuse the two?

He did have a point. His sofa was actually more comfortable than her bed and she felt safe at his place, not to mention how tired she was.

Arthur disappeared for a few minutes and reappeared with some bedding and, surprisingly, a shirt and sleeping shorts for her. Gwen took them with a little blush.

When she came out of the bathroom and made her way back to the sofa Arthur was busy turning off stray lights and locking the door. Finally he came around to face her again and drew the blanket over her, actually tucking her in.

All the while he mumbled, "Really, I would have offered to sleep on the couch instead but, well, Atticus got bored a few weeks ago and decided to eat a huge hole in the middle of my mattress topper and, um, it's not exactly the most comfortable anymore and—"

Gwen stilled his hand with hers and he looked up at her as if he had forgotten she was there. "Arthur, don't worry about it. I'm very comfortable. Thank you."

"Yeah," he said softly, his eyes scanning her face in the faint light cast by the lamp on the end table. His Adam's apple bobbed and he withdrew his hand from under hers. "Well, goodnight then."

As he reached over her to turn out the lamp, she admired the graceful column of his neck and the curve of his jaw, storing the images in a secret place in her mind to revisit later. Arthur's hand came back down and he waited a few moments in the darkness before standing and heading back toward the hallway that led to his bedroom.

Gwen wriggled in the blankets, reveling in the warmth, and then drew her arm up over her head until she was comfortable. Her eyes shifted to where Arthur had gone and though they were still adjusting to the darkness, she thought she saw his silhouette lingering there.

A few blinks and he was gone.

* * *

She slept soundly, only roused by the savory scent of breakfast food beckoning her into consciousness. Something was crackling at the stove, and she heard the scrape of a pan shifting against the burner grate.

Then there was...wait, was he _humming?_

Smiling, she stretched languorously, her toes peaking out from beneath the blanket. Her hands itched to check the time on her mobile, but she resisted in favor of enjoying a few moments of contentment before she confronted reality.

Poking her head up, she saw Arthur setting out plates on the counter. He frowned, then turned to dig in his cabinet to exchange one of them. Then he swapped their positions on the counter.

 _What on Earth?_ she thought, a small giggle escaping. He looked up in surprise at the sound.

"Gwen, you're awake! Um, guess this means I can ask you... You don't happen to be vegan or vegetarian, do you?"

She laughed. "No, neither."

"Oh, good," he sounded relieved. "Not that I mind either way," he qualified. "It's just I realized all I had was bacon and eggs and I was beginning to worry that—"

"Sounds good," she smiled, and he grinned slowly.

"Right, then..." He prepared her plate and brought it over to place it on the coffee table in front of her.

"Wow, breakfast in bed. What did I do to deserve this?" she joked.

"Well," he said sheepishly, "I feel like a bit of a jerk for keeping you here so late last night."

"Oh, Arthur, really don't! Honestly, your sofa is comfortable and you've got more channels than I have, and you know I love Atty."

He surprised her by plunking down near her feet and setting his breakfast on the small table next to hers. "Still," he looked at her seriously now. "I really appreciate it, and I'm happy to return the favor."

"Okay," she agreed, turning to her breakfast as she contemplated the many ways she'd prefer him to return the favor.

"Arthur, these are quite good," she complimented him reflexively as she picked at her scrambled eggs.

"Oh I see, _quite_ good eh? But not _very_ good," he teased, pretending to be insulted.

"Um!" she laughed, caught off guard. "They _are!_ Although I've never had them quite so..."

"Vanilla?" he supplied, clearing his throat.

She nearly choked. " _What?_ " But now that he mentioned it...

"Sort of hoping you wouldn't notice," he winced. "I had two eggs and I usually stretch them a little further with some milk, only all I had was my mate's vanilla soymilk he left over."

"Oh my—" she coughed, then quickly recovered. "But um, the bacon is really..." she held it up by the slightly burnt side and was about to take a bite when the top half of it flopped over limply.

There was a beat of silence before they both burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry," Arthur chuckled good-naturedly. "I really shouldn't have subjected you to this. Somehow I thought it would be nice but—"

"You know what," she tried to keep a straight face but she couldn't help giggling as she said it. "It's really...you've clearly got some skills here—"

"Oh yeah?" he grinned at her, daring her not to laugh.

"Yeah," she laughed, "but maybe we could just...refine them a little more."

"Mmm," he said, feigning intrigue as he tossed the rest of his burnt bacon back onto his plate. "And how shall we do that?"

Gwen managed to school her features into a thoughtful expression. "Well, perhaps we can try some less exotic flavoring next time."

He raised his eyebrows at her with an encouraging smile. "You think?"

She loved that he could make fun of himself. "Mmhmm, and perhaps a little...time management."

"For the record, I _do_ know how to cook bacon properly. I just got a little sidetracked, is all."

"Well, that remains to be seen," Gwen cocked an eyebrow, waving the pathetic piece of evidence at him. "But I bet you can make some fantastic toast."

"Oh, you haven't seen the likes of my toast anywhere else. If you had, this would be a whole other conversation."

"Mmm, next time then," she said with false enthusiasm and he laughed, running his tongue across his teeth in a rather distracting manner.

Sable took advantage by tugging the bacon swiftly from Gwen's resting hand and making off with it before she could react.

Gwen gasped, " _Sable, no!_ That is _very_ naughty! Sable, you do _not—_ are you laughing? You...!" she smacked Arthur's side as he flopped back on the sofa.

" _Somebody_ had to eat it," he reasoned with twinkling eyes.

Try as she might, she couldn't resist laughing with him. She felt positively giddy.

Gwen's mobile began to ring and she leaned over to check it. "Oh, shit. It's my brother," she said. "Sorry."

She stood up, letting the blanket fall from her lap, and took the phone into the kitchen.

"Hey El, what's up? Right now?" She sighed. "Okay, give me like twenty minutes, alright? 'Kay. You too."

"Family troubles?" Arthur asked.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "My brother makes a habit of turning up whenever he likes, usually when it's most inconvenient for me. He needs me to let him into my flat."

"He hasn't got his own key?"

"He used to, but there were a few times when he came in at um, inopportune moments. So we decided he'd just give me notice."

"Oh, right." Arthur's cheeks were tinted red, and he cleared his throat. "Funny your brother's in town; I've actually just been meeting with my—"

"Shit, _again?"_ Gwen interrupted when her phone went off again, casting Arthur an apologetic smile as she answered the call. "Hi. Umm, sure. The blue one? Okay. Anything else? 'Kay. See you soon."

"Sorry, he wants me to pick something up on the way. Guess he's here for a while. I should probably go," she said reluctantly.

"Right, okay," Arthur said, getting up. He seemed jittery for some reason as Gwen helped him gather the dishes and then put Sable back on her lead.

"Thanks for letting me stay, Arthur. And for the breakfast," she gave a wry smile.

He held the door for them and hovered there, using his legs to block Atticus from following. "Oh, I really am sorry about that," he laughed. "Thanks again for watching him for me," he hesitated. "Um, hey...you wouldn't want to go to this...night...thing at the science museum, would you? It's um, next Saturday I think."

Gwen was caught off guard. "With you?" she asked dumbly.

"Yeah...I mean, it doesn't have to be like a...if you don't want—" Arthur scratched at the back of his head as he rambled.

"No, that sounds really fun," Gwen said quickly, though she still wasn't entirely clear about what she was agreeing to. But she wasn't going to pass up on another evening with Arthur.

"Really?" he grinned, and she tried to memorize his expression. "Great. Um, I've got a work conference next week, but I'll let you know about it when I get back?"

"Sounds perfect." They stood together, smiling like idiots, until Sable began to whine and tug at her lead. "Oh, right. I should go. I'll talk to you soon!"

"Bye, Guinevere!"

Her heart was leaping and her lips stretched wide as she walked away, hearing Atticus bark after her.

She might have been annoyed with her brother as she drove out of her way to pick up a gallon of milk on the way home, but she was too preoccupied thinking about Arthur.


	5. Chapter 5

It didn't matter how she filled the week.

The giddiness that swelled beneath the surface ebbed in Arthur's absence, and she missed his company as unexpected reminders of him cropped up.

Whatever superstition kept her from contacting him first also convinced her that the less she thought of him, the more likely he was to reappear.

It was as well that her brother had come to visit, even if he was a remote-hogging couch potato.

She still smiled at the vision of Elyan stretched out comfortable as you like, eyes glued to the telly. Secretly, she was pleased to indulge her little brother, delivering a bowl of cereal into his hands as if he were five again and their parents were at work.

Evidently the comparison wasn't far from Elyan's thoughts either.

"Still got that traffic warden job, have you?" he grinned, munching a spoonful.

Gwen nudged her brother's drawn up knees with her toes. "We can't all afford to be wandering romantics."

"Is that what I am?" His dark brows shot up.

"Why? Do you prefer a different euphemism?"

He considered. "Explorer?"

"Glorified couch-surfer?" She sang back.

"You'd be surprised how comfortable some of them are," he poked the spoon at his cereal, dislodging a few pieces onto the floor. "Sable—"

The dog had already mopped up the mess before he could direct her to it, and Gwen rubbed the fur between her ears affectionately.

"Don't you want to see some of the area this time?"

He scrunched his nose. "Maybe later. I'd rather just hang out. It's good to have some downtime."

"If you say so," she smiled, pulling the corner of the blanket so it covered her lap too, and they settled in for a marathon.

* * *

The next morning, Arthur texted her while she was working:

_Busted anyone yet today?_

She grinned, a small thrill coursing through her, and quickly snapped a picture of the windscreen she'd just placed a ticket on to send to him.

_Sixth one today, and I haven't even had lunch yet._

He responded with a picture of a sad looking sandwich. She frowned at her phone until it blipped again with another message.

_Can you give this caterer a citation?_

Gwen snorted and shook her head.

_Were I only so powerful. How's the conference going?_

_Boring_ _but informative._

She began to reply when a car honked and she looked up, startled. It was her cart in the way. Rolling her eyes, she tucked her phone in her pocket and went to move it.

* * *

Gwen bit her lip, trying to hold Sable steady long enough to detach the lead from her collar as the dog's little body wiggled from head to tail with excitement.

A big, wet nose intruded on her vision before the slimy tongue swiped at her head, and when she straightened she recognized Atticus.

"Atty! Oh, _hello_ baby! Yes, you're such a good boy," she crooned, mussing the fur of his luxurious coat. He thumped his tail against her leg and licked her hand. Gwen was astounded at how large he was getting each time she saw him.

Closing the gate behind her, her heart lifted with anticipation. She was pleased to see the silly retriever, but she hadn't expected to see Arthur back so soon. She'd thought he'd said he'd be out of town for the rest of the week.

Scanning the park, she frowned.

 _Do they_ ever _go home?_

The inescapable clique of grumpy seniors were chatting away. Gwen did her best to ignore the sensation of their eyes tracking her every movement.

She recognized a few other faces, but not the one she was looking for.

Not the one whose heart-stopping smile was etched so deeply in her memory that she couldn't put it out of her daydreams.

_But then, what was—?_

As if summoned, Atticus bounded toward her again, planting his monstrous paws on her abdomen and breaking her train of thought. Gwen laughed and readjusted her footing for balance. She might be used to it, but it was still a struggle to keep herself upright against his increasing weight. They'd have to train him out of it, eventually.

_They._

Another daft notion supplied by her overactive imagination.

"Atticus, _down! Down, Atticus!_ "

Gwen's gaze flew to the approaching woman.

"I'm so sorry about him." Her voice was silky and dark with a charming Irish lilt. Sleek, raven hair fell effortlessly over her shoulders and her piercing eyes reminded Gwen of the moss that grew on the tree outside her kitchen window.

"Oh," Gwen gawped, "it's alright, I know him."

"Of course," the woman smiled. "I guess Arthur brings him here all the time. Um, I'm Morgana."

"I'm Gwen," she responded, shaking the woman's slender, graceful hand as she offered it.

"You must have been looking for Arthur! He's actually at a work conference with his father for the rest of the week and he practically _begged_ me to take care of this thing, so..."

"Right," was all Gwen could manage. _Had she just called Atticus a_ thing?

"Wish he wasn't gone for so long, but duty calls."

"Mmm." With difficulty, she kept her expression amiable.

But all she could think about was how she had ever deluded herself into thinking she and Arthur were compatible.

Morgana was probably a model, for all Gwen knew. And why shouldn't Arthur go for a girl like her? He could probably have anyone he wanted, she realized with crushing disappointment.

"So...which one is yours?" Morgana asked politely, though Gwen suspected she had very little interest.

"The little mop there," Gwen pointed, smiling with pride.

"Oh. Cute."

There were a few awkward moments where neither of them spoke.

Morgana appeared busy with her phone, so Gwen decided to take a seat on the bench to watch the dogs play.

It lifted her spirits to see them all together. Old friends and new, they chased and nipped and rolled in the grass, blissful and uncaring.

She glimpsed Lou sitting at a picnic table across the park, smiling with his arm wrapped around a woman. _Sarah_ , Gwen thought, grateful that his wife's health seemed to have turn around. Arthur would be pleased.

With a happy sigh, she decided to enjoy the feel of the sun on her face and the cheerful yips and barks of animals who hadn't a care in the world.

She pulled her book out of her bag, the earlier encounter far from her mind when a cry caught her attention.

"Oh no, you don't!" someone shrieked, and Gwen looked toward the water station where Atticus was poking around the tub. Morgana straddled his back, trying to restrain him by the collar as he strained toward the muddied water.

With a glance to confirm Sable was off minding her own business and sniffing around near the fence, Gwen went to help.

"I'm _not_ putting a wet dog in my car," Morgana muttered as she yanked him back again.

"Here," Gwen bent to tip the plastic tub over, emptying the dirty water down the slope and leaving it face-down. "Threat neutralized."

"Oh my god, you're a saint," Morgana proclaimed, the look of alarm in her eyes turning to relief. "Though I would have made Arthur pick up the detailing bill. Can you help me get his lead on?"

"No problem. Atty, _sit_."

The retriever promptly obeyed, though his tail dragged in the dirt as it swept back and forth.

"Thanks, I don't know what I would have done. He's pretty strong."

"I don't think he realizes just how strong yet," Gwen mused with a chuckle. "He might even be a challenge for Arthur at some point."

"Yeah..." Morgana studied her with interest for a moment, but then seemed to snap out of it. "I should get going. Thanks again...Gwen, was it?"

"Yes," she smiled. "It was nice meeting you."

Morgana wished her a pleasant day and left, stuffing Atticus in the plastic-covered backseat of her expensive looking car. Gwen watched her drive off, crouching to pet a corgi that had come to sniff at her feet and wondering at how glamorous the other woman's life must be.

* * *

_I heard you met Morgana at the park today._

The message came just as she was settling in bed, and though it stung to remember, she was happy for the excuse to talk to him.

_I did, she was lovely. Conference any better?_

Arthur's response was quick: _Alright. Father insists I go to every mind-numbing seminar that's being offered. Sort of wishing we were at the beach right now._

 _You and me?_ she thought, _or you and Morgana?_

 _The weather's rubbish, anyway,_ Gwen replied neutrally.

_She said Atty was happy to see you._

Gwen snorted as she typed her reply. _You could say that. I had to change my shirt. I think he misses you a lot._

She resisted the urge to tack on _and so do I_.

A: _I'm sure he does, but you make a good substitute._

G: _I would have been happy to take him. Morgana seems like maybe she's not quite a dog person._

A: _Didn't want to bother you again so soon. She's staying at my place anyway so it made sense. Definitely not a dog person, you're right about that._

Staying at his place? It was just getting worse. She needed to either get over it or get out of the conversation before she learned any more unsavory details.

G: _Well, enjoy the rest of the conference. See you when you get back?_

A: _Looking forward to it :)_

Setting her phone on the nightstand, she sighed and flopped onto her side.

_Why did he have to be so bloody charming?_

* * *

As the week wore on, she spent more time focusing on entertaining Elyan and less on worrying about what would happen upon Arthur's return.

She took him to her favorite sushi restaurant, and one evening after work they hiked up the hill by the cemetery with Sable to watch the sunset.

"You're more out of shape than I am," she teased.

He laughed through his labored breathing as they crested the last bit. "You're the one that walks around all day. It's been a while since I've done any climbing. Plus, Dad's not around to whip me into shape."

"You wouldn't have done track without him, would you?"

He shrugged, flashing a grin. "Probably not."

"Sometimes I think your natural talents are wasted on you." Gwen chuckled.

They weren't alone; others were sprinkled around the hillside, enjoying the same view in silent companionship.

Elyan told her about a girl he'd met during his travels, and how he planned to visit her when he scrounged up enough money.

"But my big sister is top trumps, of course."

"Because she buys you milk," Gwen joked. "And those awful sugary cereals you probably shouldn't be eating."

"Well, I'm not gonna lie, that's definitely a factor," he laughed, playing with Sable's ears where she lay cradled in his lap. "And maybe this little one, too."

When the sun sank below the horizon, they stood and dusted themselves off, making sure Sable had relieved herself before tracking back down the hillside with the others.

On the way home, her brother talked about going to a concert on the weekend, but Gwen only gave him a vague response, unsure if her plans with Arthur would go through.

In fact, she had almost managed to forget about them altogether until the night before they were meant to meet up.

Her heart fluttered as his name flashed on her mobile, and she realized he must be back in town again. Elyan was still in the shower, but she ducked outside anyway.

Arthur sounded tired, yet his voice held noticeable enthusiasm as they exchanged pleasantries and she asked about how the rest of his work trip had gone.

"Mostly the same. But the food got better, and one of the guys brought an xbox along, so that was something to do in the off time."

"Oh, good," she said. "Did Atticus flip out when you saw him?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "The separation anxiety is tough, for both of us. But we just need practice."

It was tough for Gwen, too, she thought as she realized how much she missed him.

 _Too much._ She'd have to find a way to put a lid on that.

"So um...are you still up for going to the Science Academy tomorrow night?" he asked, kicking up a mixture of nerves.

"Yeah, I've been looking forward to it. Is it just... er, is Morgana coming, too?"

Gwen cringed at the way the question came out.

"Morgana? _God_ , no. She hates that type of thing. Or anything not to do with fashion, really," he said sardonically.

"Really?" she asked. "But then what do you two do together?"

"Ah, I don't know... Sometimes we meet for dinner and occasionally we can agree on a movie to watch, though she has terrible taste for the most part."

Gwen couldn't prevent an exasperated giggle bubbling up. "Arthur, I don't get—how did you two even meet?"

"How did we...? Um, well... She came to live with us when she was about 13 after her mum died."

"Wait, _what_?"

"My father sat me down and said there were some things he wasn't able to tell me and that from then on I was going to have a sister and she—"

"A _sister?_ Wait, Morgana's your _sister_?"

"Half-sister, yes. I'm sorry, did I not say that?"

Gwen was speechless, and starting to feel extremely foolish. "Uh, I...I had no idea, I thought she was..."

Arthur laughed. "Wait, what did you think?"

"Well you went out that one time—and then, I met her and she just said she was taking care of Atticus and she never said... I just assumed you two were dating."

"You thought she was my _girlfriend_? Ugh."

"I guess so," Gwen chuckled at the exaggerated disgust in his tone, the airy giddiness returning.

"Okay, just to make things clear... I'm not seeing anyone. In fact, I um... I'd like to be seeing _you_ , actually."

"Me, too," she answered shyly, stamping down the rising excitement in her chest. It would not do to squeal in his ear.

"It's a date then." She could hear him smiling.

When she snuck back inside, she was relieved to find her brother preoccupied with his own phone call. She didn't think she could hide the stupid grin on her face.

Slipping into her bedroom while his back was turned, she shut the door and buried her face in her pillow to muffle her excitement.


End file.
